Confessor
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Post by Confessor on Aug 12, 2024 12:17:24 GMT -5
#3 - Chess Blues 1947-1967
 Cool pick! I don't own this set, but I do have four or five different single disc "Best of..." type collections of Chess stuff. I also have individual compilations or albums by the likes of Howlin' Wolf, Sonny Boy Williamson, Muddy Waters, Robert Nighthawk, and Etta James. I really love authentic blues -- the early pre-World War II stuff and also the post-war electric blues up until the 60s or so. So, this set would be right up my alley, I'm sure. Incidentally, a lot of these Chess records were liscenced to Pye International for their first release in the UK in the early-to-mid '60s. #3 James Brown - Star Time Fantastic pick! I'm really glad to see this box set here because it just dropped off the end of my Top 10 (it likely would've been #11 or #12). The sound on this set is just about the best remastering ever of James Brown's material. Audiophiles still sing its praises even three decades later. |
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Confessor
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Post by Confessor on Aug 12, 2024 11:51:27 GMT -5
It would've demanded a higher price for the feet! |
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Post by Confessor on Aug 12, 2024 11:30:19 GMT -5
I am not sure which issue Aunt May first meets Doc Ock (I know he kidnaps her in Annual #1, but she thinks he is just being a good host) but from the start, May sees Ock as a nice man and their eventual relationship is there from the start. Annual #1 is the first time they meet. And yes, May thinks Doc Ock is the perfect gentleman pretty much right off the bat -- even when Betty Brant tries to tell her that he's a dangerous villain. She just dismisses Betty and even says she feels sorry for him having a problem with his arms.  Which is sort of ridiculous, of course, but then the whole Aunt May/Doc Ock relationship is ridiculous...but that doesn't stop me enjoying the hell out of it. |
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Post by Confessor on Aug 12, 2024 8:43:49 GMT -5
THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN 12 (reprinted in Marvel Tales 149 )  Cover for ASM #12…  Betty is the lead super-hero's girlfriend, but hasn't really fallen in to the trap of playing the stereotypical damsel-in-distress every single issue. She did play that roll last issue, but it made sense plot-wise as the story was as much hers as it was Spidey and Ock's. This issue uses the trope again, but it seems logical considering Ock knows Spidey was willing to fight to save Betty Brant once so figures he’ll try it again. I thibk it's pretty clever of Doctor Octopus to spot that there was some connection between Spider-Man and Betty Brant in their previous encounter and then exploit it here. But then, he is a genius, I guess. Of course, since this is a Spider-man comic, the plot can't always play out the way it would in any other typical comic. Spidey’s powers vanish just when he needs them the most. We’ll see his powers go away again in an upcoming issue, but for a different reason. This issue though the reason is because he has a virus which is “the one thing even [his] spider-strength can’t resist!” (Spider-man even comes to him in his fevered dreams and tells him so). The 24-hour virus is, I think, another example of Stan Lee and Steve Ditko trying to give Peter/Spidey relatable, everyday problems that the readership could empathise with. I couldn't imagine the Fantastic Four or Thor getting a virus like that and being so under powered, though it may've happened at some point, I suppose. But this episode reinforces the idea that Spider-Man isn't your common or garden superhero. The panel in which Spider-Man comes to Peter in a fever dream and the very next one, where Peter wakes feeling much better and summersaults out of bed, are both really well done by Ditko. Being the hero he is, Peter decides to go up against Ock, even though he's not at his fighting best which leads to the shocking scene we see on the front cover. Fortunately Dr. Octopus has a good enough grasp of Spider-man's skills after their previous encounter and knows that the weakling he was fighting can't possibly be the real deal! Even better that everyone else who witnessed Spidey's unmasking accepts Ock's assessment of the situation. Peter getting unmasked like this and none of the witnesses or supporting cast members putting two and two together always stretched credibility for me. But then again, I guess Peter is perhaps the least likely individual they know to be a secret superhero and besides, Ock has just announced that this weakling he's fighting isn't the real Spider-Man. I dunno though…that sequence has always just kind of made me roll my eyes. Speaking of our friends at Midtown High, Flash is still his usual self, but I think this is the first time Liz really takes notice of Peter. When Liz invites Peter to a party later in the issue, Pete turns it down in favour of seeing if a certain brunette is available. If Liz and the others didn't already know Pete had a girlfriend, they probably do now. The beginning of Peter Parker: ladies man! I agree though that this is the point where Liz Allan beings to see Peter in a different light. We know that Peter's asked her out before and she even considered dating him, but that was mostly because she felt sorry for him. In this issue, for the first time, she's actually romantically drawn to him. Back to the real story though. Luckily Spider-man recovers in time to stop Doc Ock and round up a bunch of escaped zoo animals. If one animal-themed adversary wasn't enough for this issue, we've also got lions, tigers and bears (oh my), not to mention a gorilla too. The final fight between Spider-man and Dr. Octopus covers a lot of ground, from the street to rooftops, with a big climax inside a burning building. This is a fantastic issue overall. Yes, the unmasking always seemed a bit contrived to me, but the soap opera elements are great and Ditko does a really nice job of depicting Spidey and Ock's final battle on the rooftops and inside an artist's studio. I also love the menace of the escaped zoo animals, and its nice to see Peter taking pains to capture them humanely. |
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Post by Confessor on Aug 12, 2024 7:09:36 GMT -5
Playing catch up after a super-busy weekend with work... THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN 11 (reprinted in Marvel Tales 148 )  And here's the cover of Amazing Spider-Man #11…  Although this is the second time Spidey fights a returning villain, it is the first time one actually gets released from prison after serving his sentence. The Vulture could have probably just waited another week instead of going to such elaborate lengths to escape a few issues back. Spider-man does try to warn the prison Warden that this is a bad idea, but the opinion of a spider-powered crime-fighter isn't as credible as you'd think. Even though the Warden had high hopes for Otto's rehabilitation, Ock's thoughts reveal that he had no interest in ever going back to a mundane normal life now that he's had a taste of super-villainy! I don't think there are any other instances of Doc Ock being released from prison like this anywhere else in his long history, so hopefully the Warden learned his lesson. This issue only has one fight between Spider-man and Doctor Octopus, but it's a good one! Ock’s tentacles were damaged during his last battle with Spidey, but he’s managed to repair them since then. They’re still attached to his body though. He actually makes a point to mention that he has been practicing, so as dangerous as he was before, now he's even worse. One of the things that strikes me about this issue is how menacing Dr. Octopus is. I'm not sure he ever felt as credible a threat to Spider-Man as he did during the Lee/Ditko era. Another major trademark gimmick gets introduced here. Spidey develops his spider-tracers and tracking device which he’ll use to keep tabs on Ock and other baddies in many future adventures. I love the spider-tracers; they're such a cool piece of Spidey's crime fighting arsenal. Of course, one big difference with how they work here, compared to later, is that Peter has to use a hand-held receiver to tune into their position. In the future he will modify them so that he can detect them with his spider-sense. I particularly love the panel in this issue where we can see all the intricate circuitry inside the tracer through a magnifying glass. Peter is really serious about Betty and it’s the first time he really considers sharing his secret, but ultimately things don’t work out. We’ll see similar types of stories over the years with other love interests. Later writers will try to downplay Peter’s relationship with Betty, trying to play it as a simple schoolboy crush, but stories like this one are as serious as it gets! I agree that Peter and Betty's relationship is pretty serious by this point. But I will say that when you're 16, any romantic relationship is pretty serious. This is definitely more than just a crush, but Peter is still a schoolboy, and I think his over-serious, slightly melodramatic angst about anything connected to Betty is really believable for a character of his age. I can remember my relationship with my first girlfriend at that age and that definitely seemed like life-or-death to me! As for the death of Bennett Brant, it's hard to feel much sympathy for him, especially as he's dragged poor Betty into his seedy world. I also don't feel as if we really get to know him very well before he died, which prevents the reader from caring too much. Then again, I suppose Bennett's death is mostly just a plot device to prevent Peter from revealing his identity as Spider-Man to Betty. Overall, I think this is a good issue. Plenty of soap opera angst, a bit of family tragedy, and another fabulously drawn battle between Spidey and a super-villain. |
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Confessor
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Post by Confessor on Aug 12, 2024 6:26:29 GMT -5
I'm a little late, but carrying on with my list of favourite box sets... #4 - The Monterey International Pop Festival: June 16-17-18, 1967 by Various Artists (1992)  Unlike Woodstock, which has been anthologised with multiple double albums and box sets over the years, this is the only multi-disc collection of live recordings from 1967's Monterey International Pop Festival. In fact, most of the music here had remained unheard by the public since it was recorded, which is surprising given how many legendary groups and singers appeared at the festival. All the big names you'd expect are here, such as Jimi Hendrix, Otis Redding, the Who, Jefferson Airplane, and Janis Joplin, along with other popular groups of the era, such as the Association, the Byrds, Eric Burdon & the Animals, Canned Heat, and the Paul Butterfield Blues Band etc. You mostly get highlights of each artist's set, rather than their full performance (Jimi Hendrix's legendary set is the exception to this), and naturally, the more important or famous artists get more songs than other acts do. There are a few, mostly lesser-known musicians from the festival omitted from the set, such as the Paupers, Beverly, Moby Grape, and Quicksilver Messenger Service. Weirdly, Johnny Rivers, Simon & Garfunkel, and the Grateful Dead are all absent too, which is odd, given how popular these acts were and still are. But nevertheless, this box set does an excellent job of curating most of the important performances and distilling the essence of the festival. Here's Jefferson Airplane doing their hit "Somebody to Love"… And here's Otis Redding with a searing live version of "I've Been Loving You (Too Long)"… |
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Confessor
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Post by Confessor on Aug 12, 2024 5:20:20 GMT -5
#4 - The Chess Box - Chuck Berry
 Fantastic pick! I don't know this particular box set, but you can't go wrong with Chuck Berry. My own Berry collection is limited to his Rockin' at the Hops album from 1960, and a 24 track "Best of..." CD from the early '90s. This looks like a fantastic set. Interesting to hear Berry's original recording of "Brown Eyed handsome Man" too; I'm mostly familiar with Buddy Holly's excellent cover (with the Fireballs backing him), which was a big posthumous hit over here in the UK. |
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Confessor
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Post by Confessor on Aug 12, 2024 5:08:13 GMT -5
#4 I Want My 80's Box! I'm not familiar with this particular set, but I know pretty much every song on it. Nice collection. I too feel that '80s music is somewhat unfairly maligned overall. While there was plenty of crud put out in the '80s (as there is in any decade), it was also a time of innovative musical experimentation, when mainstream pop bands weren't afraid to be both artsy and commercial. Nice collection! I have never felt the need to buy say a Frankie Goes to Hollywood album, but I'll still sing along with "Relax" any time I hear it... You should do! Their first album especially, Welcome to the Pleasure Dome is a bit of an '80s masterpiece. You maybe recall, but I chose it was my #4 pick of the best albums of 1984. Here's a link to my write-up... classiccomics.org/post/545278/thread |
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Post by Confessor on Aug 12, 2024 3:29:26 GMT -5
Billy Graham was a very famous Christian evangelist in the '60s, 70s and '80s. I can remember that when he would make rare appearances in the UK it always made the mainstream news. But as Hoosier says, in the context of that panel, Stan is almost certainly talking about his newspaper advice column.
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Confessor
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Post by Confessor on Aug 10, 2024 19:07:39 GMT -5
A little late today, but carrying on with my top 10 favourite box sets... #5 - Message in a Box: The Complete Recordings by The Police (1993)  When this 4-disc box set was released in 1993 the Police had been defunct for 7 years, so I guess the band were due a reappraisal. Gathering all five of the band's albums together, along with every non-album single, all their B-sides, and other stray tracks that appeared on soundtracks or charity albums, the idea here is that this is the band's complete works. Actually, as it turns out, there are about a dozen remixes, live tracks, and foreign language versions of their hits missing, but by and large, this is everything the band released in Britain and America between 1977 and 1986. There are no rare outtakes or early demos though; the purpose of this box is to provide a handy one-stop shop for the Police's entire recorded output. Myself, I loved the Police as a kid (and still do!) and, prior to picking this up, I had all their albums on cassette. So, when this CD box set came out it was a must have. All the band's big hits are here, of course, along with classic albums like Reggatta de Blanc, Ghost in the Machine, and Synchronicity. Not that everything here is amazing, mind you: at least one of the band's albums is kinda patchy and roughly half of the B-sides are somewhat forgettable too. But when it's good, this set is excellent, with very good remastered sound. Frankly, I just love the exhaustive completeness of the set, and the booklet includes often humorous song notes from all three ex-bandmembers. Here's the video for "Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic" from 1981… And here's the atmospheric "Walking on the Moon" from 1979, with its killer bassline… |
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Confessor
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Post by Confessor on Aug 10, 2024 18:10:40 GMT -5
Today's selection: #5 Herbie Hancock - The Complete Blue Note 60's Sessions
 Nice pick. I actually bought Hancock's Maiden Voyage album this week, as a result of you turning me on to it, though it hasn't been delivered yet.  #5 - The Complete Hot Five and Hot Seven Recordings - Louis Armstrong
I'm only just beginning my exploration of Louis Armstrong's work, but I'll bear your advice on these sessions in mind. |
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Post by Confessor on Aug 9, 2024 19:23:15 GMT -5
I think later on in the 60s or 70s it's revealed that Jameson also resents Spider-Man from stealing the thunder from his astronaut son in ASM #1. That's my memory anyway, though I might be misremembering. That's where I always assumed Jameson's hatred of Spidey stemmed from. It's pretty much all right there in ASM 1.Ah yes, of course! D'oh! (It's late here and I'm tired!) I'm sure this rationale for his hatred of Spider-Man is repeated or reiterated again in later issues as well. But clearly Jameson also despises Spidey for making him feel bad about himself. He's a complex character, this Jameson fella! |
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Confessor
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Post by Confessor on Aug 9, 2024 19:19:07 GMT -5
I've seen the phrase "plugged nickel" twice today -- once in this thread and later on in Amazing Spider-Man #11. So, I Googled it. Turns out the phrase "not worth a plugged nickle" means something is worthless (I'm sure you yanks all know this already). It originates from the practice of taking out the centre of a nickel and plugging the with a less valuable metal. Thus rendered the coin no longer legal tender if discovered, so worthless.
In Britain we have the similar idiom, "not worth a brass farthing".
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Confessor
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Post by Confessor on Aug 9, 2024 19:06:48 GMT -5
I've always found this as an odd motivation on Jameson's part, sincehe did not rail against all of the other superheroes running around doing the same thing at the time. From the layman's perspective, there's no difference between Iron Man and Spider-Man (other than the government of the time wanting Iron Man's technological secrets), yet Jameson obsessed on Spider-Man, which, as this issue reveals, was not due to Jameson thinking Spider-Man was a real criminal (that would not be a bigger thing until a bit later in the run). I think later on in the 60s or 70s it's revealed that Jameson also resents Spider-Man from stealing the thunder from his astronaut son in ASM #1. That's my memory anyway, though I might be misremembering. |
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Post by Confessor on Aug 9, 2024 18:53:56 GMT -5
I think Civil War really reinforced the idea that Peter had been Spider-man since he was 15 years old, but I definitely remember it being mentioned earlier. I think ASM Annual 23 was the first place I read it, IIRC. Ah, yes...in the flashback story. That annual was from 1989, so that might be what I'm thinking of. But yeah, I too felt it had been established earlier in the 80s. Depending what month his birthday was, he could have actually been 15 and a half, or even close to 16. All we know is he was 15 when he became Spider-man, but could have turned 16 at any point during or after he first put on the costume in Amazing Fantasy 15. I'm sure that's what any writer or reader who prefers a 16 year old Spidey to a 15 year old would come up with if they wanted to rationalize things to fit their personal preference. Yeah, all valid points. Peter is clearly a high school senior during the early issues of Amazing Spider-Man. Doesn't it say outright in issue #8 that he's in the senior class? I don't think it's all that clear, but yes, just checking the issue now...it does say that Peter was in Senior Science Class at the start of ASM #8. To be honest, not being American, I hadn't read that as it being a science class for high school seniors; I'd just read it as a general term for senior pupils, if you catch my drift. So, if Peter is a senior by ASM #8 at least, that would make him 17 at that point right? Like, he'd be in 12th Grade. If so, that moves Peter much closer in age to Betty Brant, or possibly they're both 17. A question I do have is whether the age of what constitutes a high school senior was different in the early 60s to what it is now? |
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Which is sort of ridiculous, of course, but then the whole Aunt May/Doc Ock relationship is ridiculous...but that doesn't stop me enjoying the hell out of it.
